


Fire and Ice

by theaudreyinourstars



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Disney Princesses, Frozen (2013), The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Ball, Disney, F/M, Fire, Friendship, Heroes of Olympus, Ice, Kingdoms, Romance, Royalty, gala - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-08-09
Packaged: 2018-01-21 16:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1556816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaudreyinourstars/pseuds/theaudreyinourstars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Arendelle is asked to host a ball for an incoming prince, queen Elsa happily agrees. Princesses from all kingdoms are invited to try and win the favor of the prince, Leo Valdez. Queen Elsa becomes his personal escort and close friend. Princess Anna becomes his partner in crime and secret admirer. And every foreign princess wishes to be chosen as his wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sisters Again

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first long-term fanfiction, and to give it more variety, I'm making it so that none of the Disney princesses have princes. Apologies for any confusion this may cause.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fic. All rights go to Disney and Rick Riordan.

“Elsa!” A redhead sang as she skidded across the room.

“Anna,” Elsa groaned, turning away from the girl. “Go back to sleep…”

Anna giggled as she threw herself on the bed.

“I just can’t,” She huffed dramatically. “The sky is awake, so I’m awake; so we have to get ready for the arrival of the prince!”  
Elsa groaned again, but opened her eyes nonetheless.

“Why so early?” The blonde asked, struggling into a sitting position. “He’s not due to arrive for another five and a half hours.” She added, sparing a glance at the ornate clock the rested on her nightstand.

Anna sighed, blowing a puff of air that ruffled her short bangs.

“This is important, Elsa! We have to get ready, and plan the ball for tonight, and plan on getting ready for the ball tonight, and make sure we have lots of chocolate-“

“Woah, there,” Elsa said, holding out her hands in a ‘slow down’ motion. “I already took care of everything.”  
Anna sighed again, the tension obviously leaving her shoulders.

“I did it all yesterday so I could sleep late today.” The blonde added with a chuckle. She waved her hand, which had already begun to radiate blue sparkles. Fluffy white pieces of snow began to fuse together, until the young queen held a decent sized snowball in her hand. 

Anna’s eyes grew wide, as they usually did when her older sister worked her magic. By the time she’d realized what had been conjured, her red hair was caked with snow. The princess stuck her tongue out, but she was laughing all the same. 

“Come on, Elsa.” Anna whined, tugging at her sister’s arm. “Let’s go sneak down into the kitchen and try some of that chocolate!” A childish grin was plastered on her freckled face. 

Elsa sighed and pushed her heavy comforter away. She slid off the bed, her feet coming in contact with the cold floor, which was alright, since she couldn’t feel the chill anyway.  
“Fine, just give me a minute to change.” Elsa gave in, running her fingers through her loose, platinum blonde hair. Anna made a face.

“You’re so proper; nobody’s going to see us.” The younger girl said, sliding off the bed and skipping toward the door, her pale green nightgown flowing around her ankles. “After all, that is the point of sneaking.” She added with a glance over her shoulder. Elsa huffed, rolling her blue eyes and following the redhead out the door. 

The pair’s feet made quiet clapping noises against the wooden floor. Anna giggled softly from behind her hand as the sisters rounded corners; dodging maids and butlers alike.  
The servants knew, of course; but it was nice to see the sisters doing something together - even if it meant letting them sneak some chocolate from the kitchen every once in awhile. 

“What do you think the prince is gonna be like?” Elsa whispered, glancing around a large door before proceeding into the ballroom; the last stop before the kitchen. Anna giggled again, grabbing her sister’s arm as they approached the passageway that led to the kitchen. 

“Oooh, Someone is more excited than usual to meet a member of a royal family. I think you-” Elsa responded by rubbing a handful of freshly conjured snow in her sister’s face, effectively cutting off whatever the girl was going to say next. Anna spat out a mouthful of ice, her face contorting into a comical pout. 

“I’m sure he’s very nice.” The redhead corrected herself. Elsa chuckled softly, slowing her pace as they neared the entrance to the kitchen. The older girl pressed a finger to her lips as she pulled the heavy door open. A mouthwatering combination of smells wafted from the warm kitchen, turning their knees to jelly. Both girls inhaled deeply as they proceeded into the room. It was oddly quiet, especially since there was a large ball to be preparing for that evening. 

“I wonder where everyone is?” Anna said, raising her voice a little. Elsa shushed her, obviously still in stealth mode. The pair made their way to the back of the kitchen, where a large tub of freshly melted chocolate sat, untouched. 

“We’d better be careful, or they’ll notice that some is missing-” Elsa began, but her sister had already retrieved a ladle and started shoveling the chocolate into her mouth. The older girl laughed, reaching for a drawer that held the utensils. 

“You’re the queen,” Anna mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate. “I don’t think they’ll oppose to you taste testing the confections.” 

Elsa rolled her eyes as she dipped the spoon in the silky chocolate. 

“Then why are we sneaking?” She asked before eating her spoonful. 

“Because it’s fun!” Anna squealed, ladling another large helping into her mouth. 

“You’re going to make yourself sick.” Elsa chided softly, redirecting the next ladle-full to her own mouth. The younger girl pouted again, which was rather hard to take seriously since she had chocolate smothered all over her lower face. The queen chuckled, using her nightgown sleeve to wipe the chocolate off of her younger sister’s face. 

“Let’s go back upstairs so we can prepare for the prince’s arrival.” Elsa suggested, grabbing her sister’s hand and tugging her towards the door. 

“I knew you were excited!” Anna said triumphantly as they exited the land of wonderful scents and delicious desserts. 

Elsa felt her cheeks growing hot, which was unusual since her skin was usually ice cold. 

“Are you going to be a pest about this for the next few hours?” The queen groaned, turning the handle on the bedroom door and pushing it open. Since Anna had learned of her sister’s powers, she had insisted that all her stuff was moved and set up in Elsa’s room just like it had been when they were kids. 

“Of course not!” Anna gasped, throwing herself across her unmade bed. “I will be on my best behavior once the prince arrives.”

It was Elsa’s turn to raise a teasing eyebrow. 

“Oh? Why the sudden change in behavior?” She bantered, grasping a brush off her mirrored nightstand and running it through her pale hair. Anna shrugged, trying to do the same with her own brush, but only managing to get it tangled in the rat’s nest that she called hair. Elsa laughed softly at her sister’s predicament, crossing the room to sit beside the princess. The young queen began to run her own hair brush through the girl’s hair; attacking it section by section until it fell around Anna’s nightgown-clad shoulders in a glossy sheet. Elsa then began to braid different sections, wrapping and pinning her sister's hair until it was fixated in an elaborate updo. 

"Beautiful," Elsa whispered before directing her attention back to her own hair. 

“You should leave yours down,” Anna noted, standing from the edge of the bed. The redhead made her way to the enormous wardrobe that sat at the edge of the room, and pulled it open. A long row of dresses hung neatly inside, just waiting to be tried on.

“I don’t think so, Anna.” Elsa said, moving to stand beside her sister. “I may be queen, but I am still expected to conform to the unspoken dress code.”  
Anna huffed, running her fingers along the silky skirts.

“Which one are you going to wear?” The princess asked, her skimming fingers coming to a halt on a pale pink gown. Elsa pulled the door on her wardrobe as well, revealing a plethora of garments in varying shades of blue.

“Something blue,” The blonde chuckled, pondering her choices. Anna leaned over her sister’s shoulder to marvel at the shimmering dresses that looked like they could be made of ice. 

“I like that one.” The younger girl whispered, pointing to a shimmering, pale blue dress. The bust was trimmed with gold ribbon, and the skirt hung lower in the back than it did in the front. Light blue snowflakes glittered in various places along the skirt, giving the entire outfit the look of a glittering icicle. 

“Me too,” Elsa agreed, reaching to pull the dress off the hanger.”You should wear the pink one.” She added, nodding her head toward the gown that her sister had been looking at earlier. Anna grinned and went to retrieve the dress, her mood enlightened from the fun she was finally having with her sister.


	2. Half Past Nine

"Master Valdez?" Called a voice from outside the double bedroom doors. "Sorry to bother you, but we really must be going." 

A curly head shot up from the pillow, random sections sticking out in odd directions.   
"You're kidding," The prince slurred, still half asleep. "I don't need to be in the carriage until a quarter past eight." 

An embarrassed cough sounded from the other side of the door.   
"Master Valdez," The man outside began awkwardly. "It's half past nine..." 

Leo threw himself out of bed, landing with a loud thump on the hardwood floor.   
"Why didn't you wake me sooner, Reggie?" He called, scrambling to his feet and stumbling toward his closet. 

"My lord, I wasn't aware that you were still asleep." An exasperated sigh could be heard through the door. "And please, I would prefer if you referred to me as Reginald." 

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Reggie." Leo's voice was muffled as he attempted to pull a loose white shirt over his head. The prince proceeded to yank his trousers on, stumbling and falling half a dozen times before he was able to pull them all the way up. 

"My lord, would you like some assistance?" Reginald sounded tired, as if this happened often. 

"Nonsense, Reggie. I am perfectly capable of getting dressed mysel-" Leo's defiant sentence was cut short as he fell backwards into his nightstand, knocking it over, and sending various breakables tumbling to the ground.   
The sound of shattering glass made Reginald cringe from his position outside the door. 

“Would you like me to have the carriage brought ‘round?” Reginald asked, shuddering as another piece of furniture made a thunderous crashing noise. 

“That would be wonderful; thank you, Reggie!” Leo yelled, hopping around on one foot as he struggled to pull his boot on. Once his shoes were on and laced, the prince grabbed a comb and hastily tugged it through his curly hair. Leo bolted toward the door, grabbing his cloak off a chair - which promptly fell over – before dashing out into the hallway.   
The prince flew around corners, leaving scuff marks as he skidded on the tile. 

“I’m in so much trouble,” He groaned, throwing the front doors open and half running, half falling down the steps. 

When the elfish boy came barreling down the front steps, Reginald was ready. The aging man pulled the carriage door open just as the prince tripped over the last step.   
“Good morning, my lord.” Reginald chuckled as Leo clambered into the ornate carriage. The butler closed the door and waved at the driver. 

Inside the carriage, the prince was entertaining himself by lighting pieces of thread on fire. His hands blazed red and gold; a little much for a few pieces of string, but it kept the carriage warm. Leo leaned forward and opened the little window that separated him from the driver. 

“How much longer?” He whined, pressing his forehead to the wall above the window. 

“We’ve only just started, my lord; a few more hours at best.”

Leo sighed and closed the window. A long carriage ride was not what he wanted right now. He just wanted to get to Arendelle, go to the gala that was being held in his honor, mingle with the ladies, choose a bride, and go home. 

 

Ah, yes. It was going to be a magnificent week.


	3. Don't Feel

Anna could hardly contain the butterflies that flitted around her stomach as the carriage came into view.

“Elsa,” She squealed, tugging on her sister’s arm. “He’s coming!” The princess did a subconscious brush of her dress.  
“Do I look alright?” Anna looked up at her older sister, her blue eyes eccentric.

Elsa glanced at the redhead out of the corner of her eye, an amused smile of her face.

“You look beautiful,” The queen assured her, tilting her chin up. 

The carriage was pulling to a halt outside the gates. Anna bounced up and down for a moment before attempting to put a calm expression on her face. The cool demeanor didn’t last long, because as soon as the footman went to open the carriage door, the princess resumed her childish bouncing.

“I wonder what he looks like.” The younger girl whispered through the corner of her mouth.

As if on cue, a teenager with an elfish face, curly hair, and a mischievous smile, stepped out into the courtyard. Anna heard her sister inhale sharply, causing the younger girl’s eyebrows to furrow in confusion. Maybe it was the prince’s relaxed presence; or maybe it was his just-rolled-out-of-bed look. Whatever it was, it caused Elsa to stiffen beside her.

The queen forced a smile on her face before walking down the front steps to greet the prince.

“Welcome to Arendelle, Prince Valdez.” Elsa said politely, dipping her head faintly.  
The prince bowed clumsily, a goofy smile on his face. Anna found herself stifling a giggle at her sister’s terseness toward the boy.

“Glad to be here, your ladyship.” The elfish boy said, clearly at ease, even though he was in the presence of the queen. “But please, just call me Leo, or Hot Stuff, whichever is easier.”

Elsa raised her chin slightly, subtly giving off the vibe that she would not conform to his childishness.

“I will refer to you as Prince Valdez, and nothing else.” She said briskly. “My sister, on the other hand, is permitted to address you by any name she chooses.”

“Brrr,” Anna spoke aloud for the first time since the prince’s arrival. “Someone's a little chilly this morning. You'd better warm up, otherwise you'll catch a cold.”

Leo clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from bursting into laughter. What he found so funny, Anna didn’t quite know.

"Apologies, Elsa." The prince said after removing his hand from his mouth. 

"You will refer to me as Your Majesty, Queen Elsa, Your Highness, or My Lady. I expect you will obey my wishes." Elsa turned around dramatically, causing her cloak to billow around her shoulders. With a few brisk steps and a loud bang of the door, she was gone from the courtyard. 

Anna cleared her throat loudly, the silence overwhelmingly awkward. A patch of ice remained where the queen had been standing moments earlier. 

"Sorry about my sister," The princess apologized sheepishly, tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "She..." Anna searched for the right word. "She's not quite used to people yet." 

"Ah," Leo replied, his eyes fixed on the ice-covered ground. "How did that get there?" He asked after a moment.

"How did what get where?" Anna feigned ignorance as she stepped on the ice to try and hide it. 

"The ice! It wasn't there earlier." Leo spluttered, questioning whether or not he was going insane. 

The princess gave him a sympathetic look. Since Arendelle was a rather small kingdom, news of Elsa's powers didn't travel fast. The queen preferred that it be kept under the radar for as long as possible, since she was still slightly afraid of what she was capable of. 

"I think the long ride has exhausted you." Anna smiled, trying to stall.  
Leo rubbed his forehead, sighing in exasperation. 

"Okay," he said finally. "You're probably right." 

The pair ascended the steps, the silence between them stifling. 

"Maybe once you've freshened up, we could go and sneak some chocolate from the kitchen." Anna suggested idly as they entered the Great Hall. Leo flashed her a goofy smile that made the butterflies in her stomach resume their flapping. 

"That sounds like fun." The prince said with a glance at the redhead. Anna caught herself staring at his elfish features. She felt her cheeks grow hot, and quickly glanced at the ground. 

"Your room is up the stairs, down the hallway, and it'll be the third door." Anna said, halting at the foot of the carpeted stairs. "If you need anything, just holler, and I'll come running." 

Leo was still smiling as the girl exited the room. As the last of her skirt disappeared around the corner, the prince summoned all his courage and yelled after her. 

"Don't forget the chocolate!" He called, not sticking around to see if she had heard or not.

 

Meanwhile, Elsa was pacing in her office, leaving a patch of ice wherever she stepped. The queen had needed to retrieve her gloves to try and contain her magic. The last thing she needed was to freeze Arendelle again. Elsa rubbed her hands together nervously, trying to think of some way to control the magic. 

"Don't feel it, don't feel it, don't feel it." She mumbled to herself, pushing stray hairs out of her face. 

The queen didn't understand what was happening. As soon as Prince Valdez had stepped out of the carriage, something felt wrong. Her magic had begun to go out of control. It had taken all her willpower not to freeze the boy out of pure reflex. Something was amiss with Prince Valdez, and she didn't like it.


	4. Say Yes to the Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> Sorry I haven't been actively updating! I'm working on another (hopefully) long-term fanfiction, and my summer is finally settling down. I'll try and update at least three more times before school starts. Thanks for 100+ reads! You guys are the best.

“Calm down, Elsa; just breathe.” She whispered to herself, taking a few deep, shuddering breaths.  
The young queen gripped the back of a chair, her knuckles shaking. Webs of ice crept down the back of the chair at an alarming rate. Elsa stumbled backward, clutching her hands to her chest in panic. 

“What is wrong with me?” She murmured, pressing her back against the wall. In a matter of seconds, there was a tapestry of ice weaving up and down the stone blocks.   
"This is ridiculous." Elsa told herself, inhaling deeply one last time, smoothing her skirt, and proceeding to head to the large door of the study.   
The young queen was reaching for the knob on the door, when a sudden idea sparked in her mind. She hesitated, glancing at the shelf of books out of the corner of her eye.   
"No," Elsa grimaced. "I'll do that later."   
Even so, she still had to force herself out the door.   
The studying would have to wait. She had five days worth of galas to prepare for. 

Elsa shook her head and sighed inwardly. Five galas, five nights, and all to marry off one prince.   
It was rather odd, to be honest. Inquiring a different kingdom to host the parties.   
Though, the queen didn't object, even if parties weren't really her thing. 

The blonde strode down the carpeted hall, the back of her dress sweeping up the rear. 

When Elsa entered her bedroom, she nearly tripped over her sister.   
Anna was sprawled out on the floor, half buried underneath a mountain of ball gowns. 

"Anna, what in the world are you doing?" 

The redhead mumbled something inaudiable into the floor beneath her. 

"Anna, you'll have to speak up." Elsa couldn't resist chuckling at her sister, despite the enormous mess.   
The princess lifted her face off the floor, a distraught look on her face. 

"Now," Elsa began, bending down and hauling her sister to a sitting position. "What's the problem?"

Anna's gaze drifted to the floor, her fingers twiddled, as if she were embarrassed to speak. 

"Anna, please tell me." The queen begged, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement nontheless. 

Anna took a deep breath and turned to face her sister. 

"I can't decide which dress Leo would like the best!" She finally exclaimed. Elsa seemed taken aback, but she remained quiet as the younger girl continued to ramble. 

"I thought about pink, but I already wore a pink one this morning, and I don't want him to think I'm repetitive and boring." Anna cried, pushing a pile of various magenta and salmon colored dresses away from her. 

"Then I considered my orange one, but I'm afraid it'll clash with my hair..." She continued, repeating the discarding process with a crumpled orange gown. 

"So I contemplated blue, but you always wear blue, and I didn't want to match you - no offense." Anna added with a sideways glance at her sister. 

Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but Anna wasn't done yet. 

"I sort of want to wear my red gown with the black lace, but it's so serious, and I think Leo would like something more laid back."

"Anna-" Elsa started, but the princess kept talking. 

"I would love to wear the white dress with the gold trim, but it's almost like a wedding gown, and I don't want to be too forward-" 

"Anna!" The blonde raised her voice, causing the rambling girl to turn and listen to what the queen had to say.   
"Why are you stressing over this so much? Prince Valdez is rude, sarcastic, probably a troublemaker, and altogether a terrible excuse for a prince. I can't imagine why you would want to impress him in the slightest." 

Anna stared at her sister, a hint of betrayal in her green eyes.   
"You don't know that." She said, her voice hardly more than a whisper. The princess was avoiding Elsa's gaze yet again. 

Elsa pressed her lips together in guilt. It was painful to see her sister this way. She shouldn't have said anything at all. 

"Hey," The queen said softly, bending down beside her distraught sister. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out like that." 

Anna nodded slightly, still upset at her words. 

"By the way," Elsa continued. "I like the white."  
And with that, the blonde rose from her crouched position, and exited the bedroom; leaving Anna alone with dozens of dresses, and a faint smile. 

The redheaded princess rescued the white dress from the pile, stood up, and crossed the room to examine it in front of a full length mirror. 

"Yeah," She whispered into empty air. "Me too."


	5. Things are Heating Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:  
> **   
> **Hey guys. Thank you so much for all the hits. This fanfiction is peaking at 100+, and my oneshots are at 200+.**   
> **Here's a relatively longer chapter to thank you guys! I'm working on another fanfiction, and considering a sequel for **Love, Hate, and Teddy Bears. Again, thank you all for being so supportive!****

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leo threw himself across the large, four-poster bed with a content sigh. 

“Wow,” He breathed, unable to wipe the goofy smile off his face.  
The young prince rolled onto his side and stared at a large, mounted portrait of the royal family. It was shocking how similar queen Elsa looked like her mother. The princess, on the other hand, bore a striking resemblance to the king. Apparently the young queen had always been stiff and proper. 

Leo chuckled to himself, sometimes he was hilarious. 

The teenager directed his gaze to his fingertips, which had begun to heat up and flicker. Leo passed a ball of flames from one hand to the other, thoroughly enjoying himself. He tossed the blaze up into the air, only to catch it before it hit the mattress.  
Leo’s little game was interrupted by rhythmic pounding on his door. The prince let out a yelp as he missed the fireball, and it landed on the comforter. The flames began to eat away at the blanket, sending acrid smoke up into the air. Leo went into a panic, trying to swat out the flames that kept traveling up the bed. 

“Prince Leo?” A familiar female voice asked. “Will you be joining us for lunch?” 

 

The curly-haired boy chewed on his lip as he rushed to open the door.

“H-hey Anna,” He said, opening the door just enough so she could see his face, but not the inferno behind him.  
The princess crinkled her nose in disgust.

“Is something burning?” She asked, standing on her toes as she tried to see over the prince’s head. Leo reciprocated by matching her height so she couldn’t see above him. 

“Yeah, I uh, I knocked a candle over.” The boy cleared his throat awkwardly. “Anyway, lunch, right?”

But the princess was relentless. She dodged every move he made, and eventually, wiggled under his arm and burst into the room.

“Oh my gosh,” She gasped, clasping a hand to her mouth is shock. The princess rushed forward to examine the blazing fires that had migrated down to the ornate rug on the floor. “We need to get Elsa-” Anna’s green eyes widened, almost as if she wanted to take back what she had just said.  
Leo didn’t quite understand why they would bother summoning the queen. It was just a small fire.  
Not exactly a national emergency.

Small may have been an understatement, though. The blaze was now licking at the wall that the portrait hung on. Princess Anna was doing her best to stamp it out, but all that accomplished was ruining her shoes.  
Leo scanned the room for anything he could use to put the fire out. All he came up with was a vase filled with flowers. The prince ripped the stems out of the vase, and yanked it off the nightstand. 

“Move, move, move!” He yelled at the princess, probably a little harsher than intended. Even though he was fireproof, that didn’t mean Anna was.  
The redhead stumbled backward, a thin layer of ash already covering her sprinkle of freckles. Leo began to shake the water over the flames, careful to conserve what little liquid he had in the container. When the last droplets finally came in contact with the floor, the boy tossed the vase back to Anna.

“Go fill that back up!” He called over his shoulder. The princess bolted from the bedroom without another word. When she was out of sight, Leo ripped off his shirt and tossed it to the side. The teenager proceeded to tear off his trousers, leaving him in just his underwear. The prince threw himself down on the floor and began to extinguish the flames with his body.  
The elfish boy was in the middle of attacking a patch of fire, when he heard princess Anna return to the room. She didn’t question him, she simply doused the fire around him. 

Once the pair had finally tamed the blaze, and the last spark had been extinguished, they collapsed on the charcoaled bed in exhaustion. 

“Leo?” Anna coughed a few minutes later. “Where are your clothes?” 

Leo sighed and heaved himself off the bed to cross the room to his discarded clothes. The prince studied the burnt linens for a moment, decided they weren’t salvageable, and tossed them to the side.  
Suddenly, the princess shot off the bed and rushed to Leo’s side. She grasped his shoulder and spun him around, a worried look on her face. The worry morphed into confusion as she stared at his unmarked chest. Anna’s eyes grew wide, and she released the prince’s shoulders. Her face flushed red, and she averted her gaze. 

Leo arched an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. 

“I’ll, uh, I’ll see you at lunch. Ten minutes.” She mumbled before exiting the room. 

Leo felt his stomach alight in butterflies. Even when her dress was scorched, and her face was covered in ash, she managed to send the prince into a whirlwind of emotions with a single touch. 

“Yeah, lunch..” The boy repeated, though Anna was already long gone. 

Suddenly, Leo realized the intensity of the situation. He was supposed to meet the queen and the princess for lunch in ten minutes.  
The teenager went into a flurry trying to rub the soot off his face, track down a new shirt, and pull on some trousers.  
After five minutes, he looked halfway presentable, though he still smelled like a campfire. 

“Alright,” He whispered to himself. “Time to go be fabulous.”

\--------------------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, Anna was scrambling to erase every trace of the fire incident. She didn’t fancy an interrogation. The princess had combed the ash out of her hair, wiped the soot off her face and arms with a damp cloth, changed her dress, and spritzed some perfume for good measure.  
Even after all the evidence elimination, she could still smell the smoke. 

“Oh well,” she sighed. “It is what it is.”

Anna exited her room with a flourish. The lunch bell had already rang, and she was nowhere near the dining room.  
The redhead skidded around corners, and slid down hallways. She dodged butlers, maids, and cooks alike as she made a beeline for the dining room. When she arrived at the table, she was flushed and breathless.

“So nice of you to join me, Anna.” The queen said flatly, not lifting her gaze from the bowl of soup in front of her.

“Sorry,” Anna whispered as she took a seat beside her sister.  
The next few minutes were filled only with the clinking of silverware, so it was a massive relief when prince Leo unceremoniously burst into the dining room.

“Ladies, your wait is over. Leo has arrived!” The elfish boy announced, a childish grin plastered on his face.  
The prince had been aiming to get a reaction out of the queen. He was slightly disappointed when she didn’t even acknowledge his presence.

“Tough crowd,” He muttered, noisily pulling a chair away from the table so he could sit down. 

After another few minutes of awkward silence, Elsa finally lifted her head. Her pale eyebrows were cinched together in a puzzled expression.

“Why does it smell like smoke?” She asked the pair, her blue eyes disapproving. 

Anna shot Leo a panicked look. Her head shook back and forth very slightly. The movement was just small enough to where nobody except Leo would have noticed it. The prince nodded in response. Not a word was to be said about the fire incident. 

Unfortunately, the silent conversation didn't go unnoticed. Elsa had seen the entire exchange, and the temperature in the room began to drop.  
A chill passed down Leo’s spine, though he made it a lot more exaggerated than it actually was.

“Brr,” He laughed. “It’s going to take some work to get you to warm up to me, huh?”

Elsa shot the prince a dirty look.  
“You have no idea.”  
With her icy words hanging in the air, the queen stood up and exited the dining room.


	6. Chocolate Crisis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N: Here's a suuuper long **chapter! I'll make this quick so **you can get to it. Thanks  
>  **again for being so supportive!********

The echo of the slamming door was the signal for Leo to release his breath. 

“Is she always like that?” The prince asked, sparing a glance over his shoulder. Anna sighed and tugged on her braids. 

“Not really, it’s not like her to be so..” The girl hesitated for a moment. “Cold.”

Leo arched his dark eyebrows.

“Really?” He asked. It seemed like the queen was a professional cold shoulder. 

“Honestly, she hasn’t been like this in a long time.” Anna assured him. 

The prince briefly wondered how long a long time actually was, and what had sparked the sudden personality change. But as he saw Anna’s now-crestfallen face, he dismissed the thought.

“Hey,” Leo said, trying to distract the princess. “What kind of food is going to be at this party thing tonight?” 

Anna’s blue eyes lit up.

“It’s amazing down in the kitchens! There are so many different foods, and all the smells mash together - which you would think would smell disgusting, but it actually smells really, really good. And-”

Leo held his hands up in a ‘slow down’ motion. 

“How about, instead of explaining it all to me, we could just go down into the kitchens ourselves." The teenage boy suggested, an impish smile crossing his face.   
Anna matched his mischievous grin, ecstatic to finally have someone she could have some fun with. 

Sure, Elsa could be fun sometimes, but she had queenly duties that often kept her busy. Prince Leo had no obligations during the day whilst in Arendelle. They might as well make the most of it. 

The pair of royals rose from their chairs and bolted toward the door.   
They were determined to make this the best day ever. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Meanwhile, Elsa had locked herself in the study, and was filtering through the books on the wooden shelves. 

"No, no, no, no, no!" The queen hissed, exasperated. "It has to be here!" 

Elsa was searching for one book in particular. A very special volume that had been given to her by the trolls to help her further understand her powers, where they came from, and how to control them. 

Ever since the arrival of the troublesome prince Valdez, the young queen was hardly able to control her powers. Whenever she passed his room, the temperature in the hallway would drop 45 degrees, and ice would creep around the edges of the windows.   
Something about the boy was interfering with her magic, and she needed to find out what it was. 

There, sitting on the top shelf, was the enormous book she had been searching for. 

The queen dragged a stool over to the bookshelf, stepped up on it, and retrieved the novel. 

Elsa carried the book over to her desk, running her fingers over the faded, leather-bound cover. Shiny blue inscriptions decorated the spine and the edges of the cover. They were in a language that she hadn't yet learned to decipher. 

Elsa opened the cover and began to read. She would stay in here all day if necessary. 

She would figure this out. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Anna and Leo slipped down corridors and through rooms. Every now and then, they would dart behind a pillar or a wall to evade servants. 

They could smell the kitchen before they could see it. 

"Won't they kick us out once we get in there?" Leo whispered to the princess.   
Anna shook her head. 

"They can't say no to royalty. Besides, they're all on a lunch break right now. Nobody will be in there anyway." 

Leo chuckled softly.   
"You sure thought this through, didn't you?" 

The redhead looked up at him with mock offense.   
"Of course I did!" She whispered before starting toward the kitchen door. The young prince followed her carefully, letting his feet glide across the floor in silence.   
Together, they heaved open the large door, and stepped into a world of aromas. 

 

Leo had to gasp as the waves of incredible smells hit his nose. He could smell fried fish, pork, chicken, and best of all...

"Is that chocolate?" The prince asked, whipping his head around to face the readhead. 

Anna nodded, her smile wide.   
"Yeah, and it's really good too!" She said, practically bouncing over to the giant vat of chocolate that sat on the counter.   
The pair marveled at the smooth, dark surface. 

"I just want to dip my hands in it." Leo whispered, his brown eyes wide. 

"Me too, but I'll settle for double dipping." Anna laughed, holding up two serving spoons. 

The next few minutes were spent inhaling the liquid chocolate. The constant slurping was interrupted when Anna cried out.   
The princess had dropped a spoonful of chocolate down the front of her dress.   
Leo took one look at the mess, and burst into laughter. 

"Smooth," he choked out between giggles. 

Anna made an over-dramatic pouting face.   
"It's not funny." She insisted, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"Y-yes it is!" Leo cackled. 

The redhead arched an eyebrow. She reached over and tipped Leo's spoon out of his hand, and down his shirt. 

"You know, it actually is kind of funny." Anna giggled, taking a step back to admire her handiwork.   
Leo's mouth was a mix of shock, and laughter. 

"You are so in for it!" He yelled, surging forward and wrapping his arms around the princess's waist. The curly-haired boy grabbed a ladle off of an overhanging rack, dipped it in the chocolate, and poured it over Anna's head.   
The princess gasped as the sticky substance began to run down the side of her face. 

"You wicked little imp!" She yelled, though she was smiling all the same. 

Leo shrugged,   
"I do what I do." He said simply. 

The chocolate-covered girl grabbed the ladle out of Leo's hands and refilled it. The prince tried to back away, but the counter blocked his exit route. Anna grabbed the front of his shirt and emptied the ladle inside of it. 

"Agh!" Leo screamed, pulling his shirt over his head and staring at the chocolate drizzling down his chest. "This stuff is sticky!"

"No kidding!" Anna said, holding up a sticky strand of hair. 

Leo took a few slow steps forward, popping his knuckles with every step. 

"It's on." He said dangerously, before grabbing a pot off the stove, emptying it of its contents (a bunch of boiling potatoes.) and submerging it in the vat. 

"Don't you dare!" Anna said, holding out her hands in a 'stop' motion.   
Leo resurfaced the pot and spared no mercy as he splashed the princess with the sticky substance.   
The redhead wouldn't have any of it. She used the chocolate on the floor to slide behind the prince and pin his arms behind his back. 

"I'll never surrender!" Leo yelled as he struggled against her grasp. The chocolate made it hard to hold on, but Anna kept her grip tight. She pushed the teenage boy's face toward the darkness inside the vat. Leo was inches away from having a face full of chocolate, when the kitchen doors opened with a bang.

"What is going on in here?" Elsa's outraged voice echoed throughout the now-silent kitchen. 

Anna released Leo's arms so fast, the boy lost his balance. The top of his head caught the rim of the large container, and both he, and the vat of chocolate, went crashing to the floor. 

"Anna, leave this kitchen immediately." 

The princess nodded and left the room. Leo started to follow after, but Elsa grabbed his upper arm and pulled him back. 

"Not you." She hissed. 

The prince took a few steps back, his lips pursed.   
"If you don't mind, I have a ball to prepare for. Gotta find a wife, ya know." He insisted, trying to leave the kitchen once more. 

"Enough!" Elsa yelled, throwing her arm down. Blue sparks of magic shot from her fingertips, encasing Leo's feet in a sheet of ice. 

"What the heck!?" Leo yelped, his gaze flickering from his feet to the outraged queen. Realization slowly began to cross his face. 

"Oh my gods..." He whispered.   
Elsa's eyes flashed with fear, and she staggered backward. The longer she watched the prince's expression, the more furious she became. 

"Stay away from my sister!" She snarled.   
The queen turned and fled from the kitchen, her hands clutched to her chest.


	7. I Understand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N: I am a terrible, terrible**   
> **person, and you all have my **permission to shoot me down. **This chapter has taken SO **long to write and revise. I **hope you guys enjoy, because **school starts in two days, so I **won't have much time to  
>  **write.  
>  **I promise not to abandon this **fic, though. Don't worry.  
>  **Now, without further ado.  
>  **Enjoy.  
>  **(Bonus points if you can catch **the anime reference.)****************************

"I can't believe you, Elsa!" Anna yelled, throwing her bedroom door open with a bang. 

"I did what I had to, Anna, and you know that." Elsa replied, storming in after her.  
"I warned you about him! I told you he was nothing but trouble!"

Anna whirled on her sister, a piece of chocolate-covered hair sticking to her cheek. 

"Why are you so against him?" 

"Because he acts like a child!" Elsa replied, noticing the sudden drop in room temperature.  
"And he makes you act like one too!"

Anna swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat. 

"That's because I am a child, Elsa! And so is Leo. You're just jealous because for once in my life, I'm having fun without you!"

Elsa took a dangerous step forward, a spiderweb of ice snaking out from under her foot. 

"That's not true." She hissed, balling her hands into fists at her sides. 

"You are so selfish, Elsa! You can't even let me have a little fun, because you're so afraid of letting someone else care about me!"

Anna, brushed the stringy pieces of hair out of her face before turning her back on her sister. 

"He doesn't care about you, Anna! He's using you!" Elsa pushed the argument even further. 

Anna exhaled heavily, clenching her teeth to keep from screaming. Tears threatened to overflow and spill down her cheeks. 

"No, Elsa. He's not." She whispered, grabbing a clean dressing gown out of the closet, and moving to exit the room. 

"Where do you think you’re going?" The young queen asked, a little harsher than necessary. 

"I'm going to prepare for the ball - alone." Anna replied, stepping outside the bedroom and slamming the door. 

Elsa sank onto her bed and buried her face in her hands. Ruling a kingdom was hard enough. Raising her sister - well, that was even harder. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Leo closed the door to the washroom and leaned against the counter, breathing heavily. 

After the spectacle with the queen, the boy had melted the ice around his feet, and ran as far away from her room as possible. Even if it meant using the washroom on the Far East side of the castle. 

The prince had asked one of the servants to fill the bath, and it now sat waiting for him. 

Tonight was the first night of three where he would have to search for a wife. The idea of an arranged marriage made him sick to his stomach, but he had to do what was best for his kingdom. 

The curly-haired boy stripped off his chocolate-covered clothes and sank into the bubble bath with a sigh. The water had already lost some of its heat, but Leo took care of that quickly enough. 

It seemed like he had just finished washing the chocolate from his hair, when someone knocked on the door. 

"Prince Valdez, your ensemble for tonight has arrived." A servant informed him. 

"Alright, alright. I'm coming." Leo grumbled. He ducked his head under the water one more time before stepping out of the bath and wrapping a large towel around his body. 

Without a second thought, the cranky prince exited the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. 

 

Leo strode down the hall with authoritative steps, ignoring the gaping stares of some servant girls and boys alike. He even saluted to a lanky boy - about 14 - who’s jaw had connected with the floor as the prince walked by. 

 

The curly-haired pushed the door to his bedroom open, only to be greeted by a pudgy tailor. 

“Ah, Prince Valdez. Come in, come in.” The man ordered, grabbing the young prince by the wrist and yanking him inside the room. During the flurry, Leo’s towel slipped from his grasp and crumpled to the ground.  
The teenager let out a small yelp.

“Woah, woah, woah, woah…” He spluttered, struggling to retrieve his towel.

“Don’t be ridiculous. The ball starts in three hours, and I’m not certain that the ensemble will fit. There is no time to cover up!” The tailor argued, waving a disciplinary finger. 

Leo felt his face heat up, but he obeyed anyway.

The tailor shoved him into a tight, red tunic with gold buttons. Leo was too busy concentrating on breathing to comment on the style.  
Next, the pudgy man put the prince in some white pants, and slipped a pair of polished black boots on his feet. 

“You look simply exquisite, my boy!” The tailor clapped, taking a step back to admire his work.  
The prince simply nodded, wanting this session to be over. 

“I will be back tomorrow for the next outfit fitting!” The man said gleefully as he exited the bedroom. 

As soon as the tailor had closed the door, Leo unbuttoned the front of his tunic and collapsed on his bed, gasping for air.

It was going to be a long night.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Anna finished brushing her clean hair with a sigh. It would be lonely, and rather boring, getting ready without her sister. But she would have to live with the solitude while she taught her sister a lesson. 

“I can have fun on my own.” She grumbled to herself, standing up from the vanity and moving to the closet. 

After the argument, the princess had gone to the washroom to wipe every trace of the chocolate incident from her body, and when she came back, Elsa was nowhere to be found.

Anna gnawed on her lower lip as she mulled over her options. It seemed like there were thousands of different colors, fabrics, and lengths. The princess finally decided on a long, cream-colored dress with a light turquoise overlay that matched the sleeves. It wasn’t the prettiest gown she owned, she would be saving that one for last. 

After setting the gown on the bed, Anna went over to her vanity dresser. She picked up a hairbrush and combed it through her slowly drying hair, contemplating what her hairstyle should be. She wished desperately that she could just go with her everyday braids, but she knew that she needed to look nicer than usual for the ball. Oddly enough, she actually wanted to look nicer.

Anna separated the white section of hair from the rest of her fiery locks and grimaced at it.

After about an hour of trying to hide the lighter section, twisting her hair this way and that, and throwing her hairbrush across the room more than once, Anna finally decided to give up on hiding it. After all, anybody worth getting to know wouldn’t care about her strange hair.

Sparing a glance at the clock, Anna realized she only had two hours before she would have to meet Elsa in the grand hall and greet the guests.

With that in mind, Anna opened a drawer and found some hair curlers that had been a long forgotten gift for her 15th birthday. She left the white section out and began braiding it while waiting for her hair to curl.

Another hour later, Anna was carefully unwinding her hair. Bouncy curls flowed over her shoulders. Anna took a section of curls and began pinning them onto her head. When she had finished, she took the white, braided section from the front of her hair and led it back into the pinned spirals.

She smiled at the finished product before her eyes happened upon the clock and she gasped, jumping up to go put on the dress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Anna sped down the hallway, hiking her skirt up to her knees. Suddenly, a hand wrapped around her forearm, and jerked her behind a large curtain.  
The princess let out a little shriek, and pushed excess curtain out of her eyes.  
Her blue eyes met twinkling brown ones.

“Leo? What are you -” Leo cupped his hand over the startled girl’s mouth. His grin stretched from ear to ear.  
After a few seconds of silence, the prince moved his hand away. 

“Keep quiet,” He whispered, glancing out of the corner of his eye as the sound of footsteps passed their hiding place. 

“Elsa will kill you if she finds out that we’re even in the same section of the castle, let alone behind a curtain together.” Anna said through her teeth. 

Leo chuckled softly.

“What Elsa doesn’t know won't hurt her. Besides, I need to talk to you about something.” Leo whispered, searching the princess’s face for any trace of reluctance.

Anna’s eyebrows pulled together in a puzzled expression. 

“Alright, but talk quickly. We’re already late.” She whispered.  
Leo’s smile returned to his face, he chewed on his lower lip for a moment before proceeding.

“Listen, I know over the course of the next week, I’m meant to party all night and choose a wife. But, Anna, I -” 

The redhead cut him off with a swift kiss. Leo’s hands grabbed at thin air, and his eyes were wide with shock.  
The crashing of a platter startled the infatuated princess enough to release Leo, who then stumbled backward, out of the curtain.

A servant boy’s head shot up from the platter on the ground. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the newcomer’s ruffled appearance and flushed face. 

“Say a word about this, and I will have your head on that platter by dinnertime.” Leo said with a downward glance at the empty platter on the floor.  
The servant boy nodded, grabbed his tray, and took off down the hall. 

Leo straightened his tunic, licked his hand and slicked back a stray hair, and gave a little bounce of excitement. 

“Wow,” He breathed, his heart racing uncontrollably. Leo gave one more bounce before starting down the hall, a new light in his eyes. 

 

Anna meanwhile, had bright red cheeks and a few unpinned curls. 

“Wow,” She squealed, placing a hand on her forehead in an attempt to steady herself.  
The princess peeked out from behind the curtain. Anna smoothed her skirt and stepped out of the hanging fabric. 

It was time to go be a princess, and not a lovesick child. 

Which was rather hard, when you’re completely, madly in love.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Elsa had been dressed and ready to go hours ago, and now she was starting to worry. In ten minutes, the first guests would arrive, and neither Anna or Leo were standing in the grand hall with her.

Elsa began to pace, because if she kept standing there like a statue she would start to freeze the room in frustration.

Both Anna and Prince Leo had possible reasons for being late. The prince had seen her powers, maybe he had run off. She certainly hadn’t seen him since the incident, it was possible he had escaped by carriage into the night to tell the tale of the terrifying ice queen.

Elsa shuddered, and pulled her gloves on tighter.

Anna, on the other hand, had been yelling at Elsa mere hours ago. Perhaps she was avoiding talking to her sister by missing the ball? But no, even Anna had the common sense to know that she had to be present, even if the sisters weren’t on the best of terms.

At this point, Elsa probably would have started pulling her hair out if it hadn’t needed to stay in it’s smooth updo.

Just as Elsa was considering calling the guards to search for the absent royals, Anna burst into the room looking rushed. Seeing Elsa, she immediately straightened and arranged her facial expression into one of indifference. She joined her sister in their positions to receive the guests. Elsa noticed that Anna edged away from her a bit.

After a few minutes of awkward silence and shuffling, mostly from Anna, Elsa finally turned her head to Anna and spoke.

“Have you seen Prince Leo?”

Anna’s face became a stony glare, and she didn’t turn to face her sister, choosing instead to barely acknowledge her.

“Not since you yelled at the both of us.” She replied harshly. “Whatever you said - after you made me leave you both alone in the kitchen - might be why he isn’t here.”

Elsa nodded and turned her gaze back to the large doors, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Because she turned her head, she never saw Anna’s tiny flinch at the lie.

Prince Leo finally entered the grand hall, yawning and stretching before joining the girls. Elsa glared at him, and Anna’s angry face softened a bit.

Less than a minute later, the guards opened the doors for the first guests. Elsa breathed a deep sigh of relief. From now on, everything would go according to plan.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Leo rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh.  
The party had only commenced an hour ago, and he was already bored out of his mind.  
Protocol insists that the prince in question stands around for an hour and greet the guests before being allowed to dance and socialize. 

The elfish boy longed to talk to princess Anna, but Elsa had strategically placed herself between the pair.

“Pssst,” Leo hissed through his teeth, leaning back behind the troublesome queen to try and catch a glimpse of Anna. 

The redhead leaned back as well, glancing at her sister out of the corner of her eye.

What? She mouthed, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. 

Leo tied an invisible noose, and pretended to slip it over his head and hang himself.

Anna stifled a giggle and brought a finger to her lips. It was almost time for the suitors to come and try to win the favor of prince Leo. 

 

After a few grueling moments, the procession trumpets sounded their fanfare, and the first eligible princess started down the steps. 

Leo raised a single eyebrow as he took in the large beehive hairstyle that was obviously popular in her home country. The girl had a smirk on her face that rivaled her pretty features. 

The prince shot Elsa a panicked look, but the queen simply smiled in amusement.

The newcomer’s overly-large dress covered her feet, and an inch of floor around them. And perhaps her corset was a few notches too tight. 

Leo gave a slight bow, and the lady nodded in response. 

“I am Lady Genevieve, from ‘ze prestigious empire of Bretagne.” The young woman spoke with a thick french accent.  
“We are one of ‘ze richest empires in all ‘ze lands . Our chief export is fine linens and gold - ‘ze best quality in ‘ze entire world.”

Leo opened his mouth to respond, but she wasn’t about to be interrupted. 

I happen to be ‘ze first daughter of ‘ze very esteemed Duke. I am classically trained in ‘ze piano, ‘ze flute, and ‘ze violin. I speak French, English, Dutch, and German, and have artwork displayed in the Great Hall-”

Elsa cleared her throat loudly, clasping her hands behind her back, and nonchalantly stepping in front of Leo. 

“Thank you, Lady Genevieve, but we are already well aware of Bretagne’s fortune. After all, we are trade partners. Enjoy the rest of the party.” The young queen raised her eyebrows, giving off a silent order to leave. 

“Hmph.” The princess said arrogantly, and flounced off to join the dancers on the ballroom floor.

 

Leo heaved a massive sigh of relief, and brought a handkerchief up to wipe his forehead. 

“Geez, I’m already sweating, and I’ve only met one woman!”  
The prince elbowed Elsa suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Would ‘ya mind cooling it down a bit in here? I’m boiling to death.”

Elsa whipped her head around so fast, Leo was sure that she threw her neck out.  
Her icy blue eyes blazed dangerously. The temperature in the room unintentionally dropped due to the woman’s anger, but Leo’s grin stretched from ear to ear nonetheless. 

“Thanks, babe. I owe you one.” Leo said, pointing at the queen and clicking his tongue before sauntering off to find a dance partner. 

Anna’s nose twitched as she held back laughter. As soon as the prince was out of earshot, Anna collapsed to the tiled floor in hysterical laughter.

“Oh my Gods!” She gasped between giggles. “OOOHH gods, Elsa!”

The young queen had webs of ice snaking out from beneath her feet. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her nose was flared.

“That prince...” She hissed through her teeth. “Odin help me, I will kill him!” 

“Elsa, it’s okay. He’s just being…”  
Anna hauled herself to her feet, and put a hand on her sister’s tense shoulder, gazing off in the direction that Leo had gone.  
“Leo.” She finished with a soft smile. 

Elsa’s eyebrows shot up, and she stared at her sister.

“Yeah, right.” She said coolly.

Anna flapped her arms against the side of her dress awkwardly.

“Weellll, I’m going to go dance now.” She sang, taking a step off the low platform.  
Elsa grabbed her sister’s forearm before the princess could go any further. 

“Allow me to be of assistance.” The queen said in a sickly sweet voice.  
She marched her sister up to a short, greying-haired man. His elaborate uniform looked ready to break open around his stomach, and his silver belt had a few new holes in it. The man had half of a slice of cake in his mouth - the other in his hand. 

“Lord Berkley? Allow me to introduce you to my sister, Princess Anna.”  
The man bowed, his stomach jiggling with every movement - closely resembling the gelatin on the table.  
Anna’s teeth showed, but there was no trace of happiness on her face.  
The lord smiled back, revealing a mouthful of half-chewed cake. 

The princess swallowed back the vomit that threatened to come up her throat. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, princess. Come, let us dance.” The man mumbled, shoving the rest of the cake into his mouth. He chewed the confection loudly, his mouth so wide that she thought his jaw would unhinge.  
Lord Berkley slid a hand across his mouth and wiped it on his pants, leaving frosting tracks where his fingers had been.  
Anna chuckled nervously, taking a nonchalant step back. The man grasped her hand, and led her on to the dance floor. 

Once they reached the center of the room, the man bent down and kissed Anna’s hand, leaving traces of spit-contained cake.  
Anna bit back a gag, her straight smile intact, but her eyes ready to cry.  
The lord clapped a hand on the princess’s waist, and yanked her arm up to waltz position

It took all of Anna’s willpower not to vomit all over the pudgy man’s finely polished shoes as she was practically dragged across the dance floor.  
The pair clumsily stumbled across the tile. Anna cringed every time her toes were stepped on, and ignored her acid reflux whenever he smiled.

As she was spun around, she caught glimpse of a familiar, repulsive dress.

And, attached to the waist of the massive dress, was prince Leo - who looked as uncomfortable as she felt. 

Well, maybe not quite as much. 

 

As the couple twirled past them, Anna saw her chance. She wiggled her hand free of the lord’s grasp, and dragged her spit-and-cake covered hand down the back of Genevieve’s beehive hair, and down her neck. 

The woman froze.

Her hands dropped from their practiced dance position. Her mouth was ajar in utter horror. 

“Oops,” Anna whispered, the end of her word disappearing into a squeak. 

Genevieve turned slowly, her expression never wavering. 

“What. Did. You. Just. Wipe. On. Me?” She hissed through her teeth, stopping between every word for a breath.

“My faith in humanity, probably.” Leo said, before pressing his lips together awkwardly. 

Genevieve reached back and touched her neck. She withdrew her hand, her mouth in a frozen scream. The lady looked at the soggy pieces of cake for a tense moment, before letting out a shrill wail.

Elsa rushed over, elbowing her way through gaping dancers. Her gaze traveled from the hysterical guest, to Leo, to Anna.  
Anna put her hand up in a slight wave, her smile apologetic. 

Suddenly, she heard an ominous retching noise from beside her.  
Her blue eyes widened as she looked at the gagging Lord Berkley.  
The princess staggered backward, just as the man spewed what seemed to be most of the confections that were on the table. 

The liquid projectiles missed Anna completely. Instead, they landed on the unsuspecting Leo, who was still hiding his giggles at Genevieve's misfortune.  
The prince’s smile flickered, but never disappeared. 

“Thank you,” Leo deadpanned. “....for that.”  
“I wasn’t able to get to the confections table before all these cakes had been eaten. I was quite disappointed.”

Elsa sighed and stepped forward.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am terribly sorry for the mishap. If you will excuse us for a few moments while we get this whole mess cleaned up." She soothed, holding up her hands apologetically. 

"You," She told Leo curtly. "Come with me, now." 

The queen grabbed the only part of Leo that wasn't covered in vomit - his wrist - and hauled him to the nearest washroom. 

Elsa closed the door behind them, and pulled the handle on the water pump. After a few pumps, the water roared out of the iron spout, and into a large bucket. 

"Take off your shirt," Elsa ordered, fighting the blush that threatened to creep into her cheeks. 

Leo raised an eyebrow, but did what the queen ordered anyway. He tossed his soiled shirt into an empty tub, before sitting down on the edge.  
Elsa, meanwhile, had retrieved a large wash rag, and dipped it in the water. 

"Son of Odin, that's freezing!" Leo yelped as soon as the rag came in contact with the skin on his arm. 

"Sorry," Elsa said flatly, proceeding to clear the vomit off of the prince, pausing occasionally to rinse the rag.  
The cleaning process covered both arms, his neck, and his face, and eventually, moved to his tanned chest. 

The blush returned in a tidal wave as Elsa passed the wet rag over the prince's chest. 

Suddenly, Elsa couldn't take it anymore. The cloth in her hand became frozen solid, and she shot up from her crouched position beside the prince. 

Leo sat in shocked silence for a moment. Then he realized that the queen was headed toward the door. 

"Why are you so afraid of it?" The teenage boy asked quietly, suddenly aware that his hands were flickering. 

"What?" Elsa replied softly, half-turning toward him. 

"Your powers - why do you let them scare you like that?" Leo repeated. 

The platinum blond queen turned and completely faced the inquiring prince. Her eyelashes were coated in a faint layer of snowflakes, like the tears had frozen before they could run down her cheeks. 

"Because I'm dangerous - I-I'm a monster." Elsa choked out, clutching her hands to her chest. 

"You don't have to be." Leo replied, taking a step toward the girl.  
Elsa countered by stumbling backward. 

"It's not that easy!" She said, her voice raising. 

Leo didn't let up. He took another few steps forward, until he was a few inches away from the queen. 

"I know, but I know you can do it." He said, keeping his voice low. 

"How would you know? You don't understand anything! You have no idea what it's like to have to constantly be monitoring your emotions - t-to always have to check the walls around you, for fear that you just destroyed them!" 

Leo took one more step, his brown eyes twinkling sadly. 

"Yeah, I do." He cut her off softly, holding up his hand. 

And just like that, he let the flame flicker to life in his palm.


End file.
